Looks like that trip to Indianapolis has paid off.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that Reliant Stadium will be the site of the 2016 men's basketball Final Four, setting the stage for the city to host one of the nation's premier sporting events twice during a six-year stretch.

The Final Four will be held April 2-4, 2016.

Houston already had been scheduled to host the South Regional in 2010 and the Final Four in 2011, which will mark the 40-year anniversary of the city's first Final Four in the Astrodome.

The other winning bids were for: New Orleans in 2012, Atlanta in 2013, the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington in 2014 and Indianapolis in 2015.

"We saw an example of what Houston has to offer during the 2008 South Regional and have every reason to think that their future events will be special," said Mike Slive, chairman of the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee.

Houston was competing against nine other cities or regions trying to land the event from 2012 through 2016. Bids from Detroit; Minneapolis; Phoenix/Glendale, Ariz.; San Antonio; and St. Louis were rejected.

"It was definitely not easy," said Shea Guinn, president of SMG-Reliant Park. "This is one of the premier sporting events in the entire world. The fact 10 cities were bidding is a testament to that. We were up against some tough competition."